It's About Time
by tyLer-Lover
Summary: Tyler finally finds a girl just right for him.
1. Chapter 1

**It's About Time**

Chapter 1: The Meeting

They were all dancing. Pogue with Kate, Caleb with Sarah, and Reid with some chick he picked up at the bar. Only Tyler was at the table, sipping a Coke and watching enviously at his friends. He quelled an upcoming tide of jealousy as he watched all the couples on the dance floor swaying to a slow song.

Pogue had been with Kate for 2 years now and they were still as close as ever. Caleb and Sarah had met a few months back, but they'd gotten tight very quickly. And Reid…well, Reid was Reid, and he took out any girl he wanted, no strings attached. Tyler had always been shy around girls, especially those he liked, which made it hard for him to talk to them. Most guys thought he was a wuss, but really, Tyler was deeper than that.

Behind his clear and bright blue eyes was a patient kind of longing. Behind the ocean-like shine was a man who was waiting for the right time. He was willing to wait until he was really old, if needed, to find the girl who was destined to share his heart and hold his hands. Tyler was a patient man, and he believed that patience achieved more than strength.

Tyler shook out his dark hair with his hand and closed his eyes for a while. He opened them with a start when he sensed that someone was watching him. He turned his head to the side and spotted a group of girls checking him out and whispering to each other. Tyler sent a polite smile their way and their whispering doubled. He looked away uneasily and sipped his Coke again. Truth be told, Tyler had sent many girls' hearts racing with his really, really gorgeous blue eyes, soft looking dark hair, that beautifully toned body of his and his delicious voice. Not to mention the gentlemanly way he talked and acted. Many girls would throw themselves at his feet and that was exactly what Tyler didn't want. He wanted girls to be demure and sweet, affectionate and kind. He was an old-fashioned guy. So even if he participated in Reid's panty-bets, he didn't make too much of a habit of checking out girls in that way.

Finally fed up with the whispering and staring from the girls' table, Tyler got up and shrugged on is coat. He left a text message to Caleb saying he left and headed out into the cold December night. He stood outside for awhile, just breathing in the nippy winter air. Then he took out his keys and went for his truck. He drove around a bit, not really knowing where to go until he found himself in an old children's playground. In his childhood he hadn't exactly been to many playgrounds, preferring the comforts of his room and just reading for hours. That explained his being an introvert. Slowly Tyler got out of the car and sat at an old swing. He rocked back and forth for a while, enjoying the silence of the still night and the memories that flooded his mind. He sat there for more than ten minutes when he heard a little rustle and turned toward the sound. Surprisingly, he saw a girl standing a few feet from him with a sheepish look on her face. Before Tyler could react, she said softly,

"I'm sorry. I meant to walk slowly so I wouldn't disturb you. I guess I stepped on a twig." Tyler couldn't help but notice how wonderful her voice sounded: like the soft tinkling of chimes from a distance; very soft and melodic but still clear.

"No it's okay. I was just sitting around," he said, now taking in the sight of her light brown hair flowing around her shoulders, her clear complexion, and the lovely pink hue of her full lips and cheeks. He couldn't see her eyes from where he was sitting, but they sparkled with a little twinkle even in the dark. The girl smiled slightly and moved back.

"Well, I should go. I'm sorry again for disturbing you," she said in the same sweet voice. She turned to leave. Before Tyler could think of being shy, he surprised himself.

"Wait, don't go. It's nice to have someone to talk to. Sit with me a while?" he asked, extending his hand before losing his nerve. His mind was screaming at him, saying that this was a stranger he knew nothing about. But another person in his head told him it was okay. The girl looked at his hand, then back at him for a moment of hesitation. Before she could change her mind, she placed her tiny hand in his much larger one and stepped toward him. He stood up slightly to guide her steps since rocks and tree branches were all over the ground. Once she was seated on the swing beside his, Tyler took a seat again and resumed his rocking. He stole a glance at the girl and saw that her eyes were a lighter blue than his. The girl turned to him and smiled.

"I'm Tyler by the way. Tyler Sims," he said, extending his hand to her again. This time she took it with no hesitation.

"Annie Harbor," she said. Tyler held her hand a little longer and she didn't pull away. Tyler smiled at her. _Hello Annie Harbor. So nice to meet you. _


	2. Chapter 2 Getting to Know You

Chapter 2- Getting To Know You

It was close to 2 AM when Tyler opened the door to his and Reid's room. The blond was already asleep, shirtless and facedown on top of his covers. Tyler smirked as Reid snored lightly. He took off his jacket and headed to the small bathroom in their room. After turning on the lights, he took out his toothbrush and began his nightly routine. He let his mind wander off. Through the minty suds in his mouth he grinned, remembering how well his night had ended.

"So do you go to Spenser?" Tyler asked after a few moments. Annie shook her head softly.

"Oh no, my family's not well-off unlike most of the people here," she answered, looking at the ground.

"Where do you study then?" Tyler didn't know of any other school near Ipswich. Annie hesitated before glancing at him fleetingly.

"Nowhere. I don't go to school," she said, her voice softer than ever.

"Oh," was all Tyler could say.

"My mom died giving birth to my youngest brother. There are three of us, and I'm the eldest. My dad's doing what he can to help but it's not even enough to foot the bills for food and rent. So I had to pitch in," she said after a long moment. She looked at him with defiance, daring him to criticize her choices. Tyler met her gaze suddenly, not showing any pity but displaying in his eyes a real admiration for her courage.

"Why did you tell me all that?" he asked.

"I don't know," Annie answered truthfully. Tyler didn't push for more answers and they continued rocking in silence on their swings.

"How about you? Where do you got to school?" she asked after a while.

"I go to Spenser." She nodded her head silently.

"When was the last time you went to school?" he asked cautiously.

"Um. It's been three years since my mom died. I dropped out of school the year after she died," she said.

"2 years huh?" he whispered. "What year would you have been now?"

"Senior." Her voice was no louder than a whisper. Tyler realized that he had made her uncomfortable. He was immediately contrite and reached for her hand again.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," he said, looking her in the eye and once again he was struck by the light in her eyes.

"It's okay, it's not exactly a secret anyway." She smiled slightly. They stayed that way for another long moment. This time however, neither felt the urge to fill the silence. Neither felt the need to talk. A bell clanged somewhere in the distance and Tyler checked his watch. 1 Am. Annie was yawning softly into her hand when Tyler glanced back at her.

"It's 1 AM," he stated. She looked at her own watch and cringed.

"Ugh. I have to go, I didn't know it was getting so late," she said, standing up and heaving her bag onto her shoulder. Tyler stood up with her and they walked together to the sidewalk. He noticed that his was the only car in the street.

"Do you have a car?" he asked, stopping her with a hand on her wrist. She shook her head.

"Where do you live?"

"Down by the docks," she said, gesturing her head to her right.

"That's more than halfway across town," he said, his brow furrowing.

"It's okay, I'm used to walking that far."

"But it's 1 in the morning. The bar crowd just broke up and I'm pretty sure that there are many drunk guys out there, especially on your route home," he said. His hand hadn't moved from around hers. In fact, his grip had tightened.

"Oh, it's okay really."

"I'd feel better if I got you home safely." They had a little staring contest, his eyes asking her to be sensible. He was once again struck by the light azure of her eyes. Finally he felt her accept his offer.

"Okay. I hope it's not too much of a bother," she said, her voice once again soft and unsure.

"Of course not. C'mon, it's getting late. Your dad must be worrying." They walked to his Hummer and got in. During the long ride to her house, they alternated between talking and keeping a comfortable silence. Tyler was amazed at how easy it was to talk to her, to share his thoughts. He liked listening to her twinkling laugh and looking at her sparkling eyes. She had so much of a subdued charm that made him want to just keep talking to her. And in their silence, he stole quick glances at her and admired the clean lines of her fine profile. Her shiny hair fluttered around her when she moved and her slim hands looked delicate and feminine. Over all she looked fragile and slight but with a soft strength. _I wouldn't mind getting to know her better. _

Finally they stopped at a shabby apartment building directly facing the more beat-up docks of Ipswich.

"Thank you again. I know this was out of the way for you," she said, turning to him with a small apologetic smile on her pink lips.

"It's nothing. It was my fault for holding you off for too long." She smiled again, making Tyler extremely aware of her prettily curved lips.

"Well, thank you anyway," she said. She reached for the door handle and stepped out. Before she shut the door, she turned to look back at him.

"Good night, Tyler."

"Good night, Annie." He couldn't help the smile that forced itself onto his lips as they said each others names for the first time that night.

"Sweet dreams," she said before closing the door and waving at him. He didn't leave until she was safely inside.

"See you around."

Now as Tyler finished brushing his teeth, he smiled to himself. He took of his shirt and jeans and climbed in between his sheets. He closed his eyes with a sigh. As he did, he saw Annie's lovely face dancing around in his mind, weaving itself in his dreams and giving him a peaceful slumber.


	3. Coffee and Sandwiches

Chapter 3: Coffeeshop

Tyler ran his hand over his hair for the millionth time that afternoon. He was alone again. Caleb was out with Sarah, Pogue with Kate, and Reid had stayed after practice for extra laps. Tyler decided to head into town to a little café/bookshop. As he parked his Hummer at the curb in front of the shop his heart gave a little leap. _What was that? Geez. I must be getting out of shape. _He patted his chest lightly before stepping out of the car. A bell tinkled when he opened the door to the shop and he stepped into the warmly lit café. No one was inside except for the owner behind the counter.

"Uh, can I have a decaf?" Tyler asked the man.

"Sure. I'll get it to you right away," replied the man. Tyler walked over to the bookshelves to select a book. Sitting down on a comfortable chair, he started flipping through the pages of "Crime and Punishment". A gasp issued somewhere behind him. A very familiar gasp. He had a surge of déjà vu as he turned to look behind him. Standing there, just as she did last Friday except with a tray in her hands, was none other than Annie Harbor. She had the same sheepish look on her face, along with a mixture of surprise and happiness in her pale eyes. Tyler broke a smile.

"So, we meet again," she said as she set down his coffee on the table in front of him. She looked up at him with another of her shy smiles.

"So we do," he said, admiring her face. She had swept up her hair into a loose bun and stray tendrils framed her face prettily. She wore a light pink polo shirt that exposed the column of her neck and an apron was tied around her waist emphasizing its slimness.

"What brings you here?" she asked as she held the tray to her chest.

"Just passing time. The guys are off on their many adventures again," he said.

"The guys?" she asked with a furrowed brow.

"My best friends: Caleb, Pogue and Reid. They're out doing their own thing so that leaves me with too much time on my own," he explained.

"Don't you have your 'own thing'?"

"Well, I have swimming and I tutor sometimes but that's about it." he watched her nod her head thoughtfully before her boss called for her.

"Annie, back to work," came the gentle admonishment. Annie's cheeks glowed with a blush.

"I have to go," she said apologetically.

"What time do you get off?"

"Around 5:30." Tyler glanced at his watch and nodded.

"That's 20 minutes from now. I'll wait for you," he said decisively. Annie flushed pink again, but this time she looked pleased.

"Are you sure?" she asked, a smile beginning to form on her pink lips.

"Yeah. We didn't get to finish our talk the other day," he said with a smile. She bit her lip, then turned back towards the main counter, leaving Tyler to his book and coffee. A few minutes went in silence before Tyler's phone vibrated in his pocket.

"Yeah?"

"_Where are you?_" It was Reid.

"In town."

"_Where?_"

"At the bookshop."

"_Which one?_"

"How many bookshops in Ipswich do you know of Reid? And what's with the questions?" Tyler asked impatiently.

"_Sorry. I just thought my best friend would like to hang out tonight_," Reid said, sounding offended and sarcastic.

"Not tonight man. I've got things to do," he replied.

"_What kind of things?_"

"None of your business."

"_Ooh, Baby Boy's being secretive._"

"I'm serious Reid."

"_Aw, c'mon, whatever happened to that best friend thing we had going on_?" Tyler rolled his eyes.

"Gotta go." Without waiting for an answer Tyler flipped his phone close and went back to his book. He finished a chapter in peace before his phone vibrated again.

"What?" he groaned out in frustration.

"_Good afternoon to you, too_," said the cool voice of Caleb on the other end of the line. Tyler calmed himself down.

"Sorry Caleb. I just spoke with Reid a couple of minutes earlier and he pissed me off a little," he apologized.

"_Well, it's about time you got mad at him. He's had it coming_," Caleb said jokingly. Tyler chuckled.

"_Anyway, we're all going to Nicky's tonight. Wanna come_?"

"Will Kate and Sarah be there?"

"_Nope, we told them we're having a guys' night_."

"I'll take a rain check, man, I've got things to do for a while." On the other end of the line he heard Reid say _Ask him what it is!_ Tyler heaved a defeated sigh, listening to Caleb shush Reid.

"Okay, see you man," he said into the phone. Tyler swore he heard Reid groan in the background.

"Okay. And tell Reid to mind his own business," Tyler said, half-joking half-serious. Caleb chuckled before the connection went dead. He pocketed his phone and stood up to return the book to its shelf. He drained the last sips of coffee in the cup and walked to the counter to wait for Annie. The bell on the door tinkled, signaling that someone had just come through the door. Tyler turned his head to see who it was. _Great. Girls from school. Bitch parade. _He almost grimaced when he caught their flirty glances. One of them, a redhead, stepped towards him.

"Hey Tyler," she said, batting her eyelashes. Tyler forced a smile.

"Kira, girls," he said with a nod.

"What brings you here?" she asked. Somehow when she said it, it didn't have the same effect as when Annie said it.

"Just getting my daily coffee fix," he said. _Boy, does she get really close. Ever heard of personal space Kira?_ If possible, she stepped even closer to him so that he had to take a subtle step back.

"You know, I have a coffeemaker in my room. You can come over anytime and I'll fix you a cup," she said, trying to look sexy.

"That's nice," he said, not taking the bait. Kira was just about to place a hand on Tyler's shoulder when he heard a soft voice somewhere near his shoulder.

"I'm done for the day," Annie said when he turned to face her. Tyler smiled at her and took her hand, leading them out of the café.

"I'll see you around, Kira," he said, closing the door behind them. He heard Kira ask her friend, "Who's the new girl?", before they stepped out onto the sidewalk. He led Annie to his car and helped her in before walking over to the driver's side. He gunned the engine and turned to face her.

"Do you want to go somewhere?" he asked.

"It's up to you, I'm just glad to be off my feet," she said with a tired smile. She reached up to untie her hair, shaking it out to fall softly around her shoulders. Tyler watched with a smile. He pulled the car into the street and just drove around.

"What time did you get in at the coffeeshop?" he asked.

"After lunch. But I had a baby-sitting job from 7:30 until noon and I haven't really rested my feet since then."

"Have you eaten yet?" he asked, looking at her. She dropped her head.

"Yeah, I have," she said quietly, not looking at him. Tyler kept his eyes on her.

"You know, you're not a very good liar. When was your last meal?"

"Last night." Her voice had gotten softer than ever. He frowned, parking the car swiftly.

"Before or after you got to the playground?"

"Before." Tyler's frown deepened.

"So you mean to tell me you have not eaten since last night and you've been working all day on an empty stomach?" he asked, touching her hand to make her face him. She looked into his eyes.

"Sammy's been sick again, and dad's boss won't give him another advance until next month," she said by way of explaining, "so I had to get food for him first. There wasn't enough for all of us." She averted her eyes from his. Tyler listened with a heavy heart. He brought his hand up to her chin to meet her eyes again and was stricken when he saw them glistening with tears.

"I didn't mean to sound all officious. I was just worried about you," he said. A tear slid down her cheek swiftly, falling onto his hand. He wiped the trail of the tear away with his thumb before offering her a smile.

"C'mon, let's get some food into you," he said, starting the car again. Before he could back it up into the street she laid a hand on his arm.

"Actually, can you just take me home? I have to check on the boys before I head off to work again." Tyler looked at her strangely.

"You're still working tonight? Then I'm definitely getting food into you. We can stop over for food, bring it to your house so you can check on your brothers, and then I can drive you to your next job. How does that sound?" he asked.

"That's too kind. I can't accept that, it's too much," she said, embarrassment staining her cheeks with pink. She wringed her hands uncomfortably. Tyler sensed she wouldn't let him do that for her, so he tried another tactic.

"Think of it as my tip for you at the coffeeshop. I forgot to leave some for you, and that was rude of me," he said charmingly, smiling at her. She bit her lip uncertainly before she relented and smiled back.

"You must have planned on leaving me a big tip then," she said. Tyler chuckled and resumed driving. They picked up five different kinds of sandwiches at a deli, along with a gallon of milk and they drove off towards the docks. Annie led the way up to their apartment and opened the door.

"Hey boys, I'm home," she said into the small apartment, dropping her bag to the floor and walking inside. A pounding of footsteps sounded from the right side of the apartment, followed by screaming. A moment later two boys in ratty shirts and jeans came running towards their sister, hugging her around the waist and legs.

"Whoa, aren't we feeling better today," she said, ruffling the brown hair of the smaller boy who had attached himself to her leg. He looked up at her with the same pale blue eyes and smiled.

"Mike feeded me with _the_r_eal_ and I felt all better," he said with a slight lisp, looking fondly at his older brother.

"I did," Mike said proudly, huffing out his chest. Annie laughed fondly at them, hugging them to her.

"You two are so grown up already. Thank you for giving him his cereal, Mike," she said. Tyler watched this exchange with a softened expression on his face.

"Boys, this is my friend Tyler. He brought you a present, wanna see it?" she said, pulling Tyler around so her brothers could see him.

"Yes!" the brothers said enthusiastically.

"Okay. But first, I want you to wash your hands really well. Then you'll get you present." The brothers ran to the bathroom in a flurry. Annie chuckled and Tyler smiled. She led the way to a small kitchen with a table and they set the food down. Their eyes met over the table and they both smiled, dropping their eyes shyly. As Tyler walked past her to put the milk in the fridge, she stopped him with a hand on his arm. He turned to look at her. Her eyes shown with impossible tenderness and Tyler's heart wrenched in his chest when he saw it.

"Thank you."


	4. Off to Work

Chapter 4 – Off to Work

"Say thank you to Tyler for his wonderful present, boys," said Annie to her two brothers as she and Tyler cleared the dishes from the table.

"Thank you Tyler," they said together, then they ran off to the adjoining living room. Tyler smiled fondly at the two boys, crossing his arms over his chest in thought. Annie went to stand beside him.

"Those two are who I live for," she said quietly. He turned his face to look at her and saw the distant way she looked off towards her brothers. He saw how tired she was of working all those hours each day. He saw the sadness she felt at having to stop going to school. But he also saw that she was strong, that she didn't mind as long as her brothers were alive and getting an education. She glanced at him and smiled. Without thinking, he put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a hug. He rested his cheek on the top of her head for a while, before she pulled away uneasily. He was a little surprised.

"Um. I have to change for my next job. Do you mind waiting for a while?" she asked, stammering and looking anywhere but at him.

"No, I don't mind," he answered, still a little bewildered at what she had done. He watched her walk towards her room, closing the door softly. Tyler sat down at the dinner table. _What did I do? Why did she pull back like that? _He was deep in thought, trying to understand. After a few minutes he heard the door to Annie's room open and he stood up. His jaw almost dropped to the floor when he saw her. She was dressed simply in a long black skirt and a black polo shirt. There was a white belt around her waist for accent, and her hair was pulled back into a half ponytail. Her make-up was darker and looked more professional. He let out a breath.

"Whoa. You look really good," was all he could say. She smiled shyly.

"I work as a hostess at one of the restaurants in town, and they require me to look a little more sophisticated," she explained. Annie made her way towards him.

"Well, they certainly made a good choice out of that. Shall we go? What time do you need to be at work?"

"6:30. And my boss will kill me if I'm late again," she said sheepishly. Tyler nodded and led the way out the door. Annie stopped at the living room to kiss her brothers goodbye before heading out again. They got into his car and he drove off towards town. They exchanged easy talk about Mike and Sammy on the way and Annie shared little anecdotes about the boys and their pranks. The ride was over too soon as Tyler parked at the curb across from Blue's, a chic little restaurant.

"Thank you so much. I really need to pay you back, that was way too much for a tip at the café," she said, turning to him. Tyler shook his head.

"Seriously it's okay. I like your brothers, they were loads of fun. And I like spending my time with you," he added shyly. Annie blushed at this and she bit her lip.

"I'll make it up to you though. I promise."

"But I don't want you to pay me back, it's really no problem at all," he insisted. She threw him an impish look and sighed.

"I'll pay you back and that's the end of it. Thank you again for a great afternoon. I'll see you soon," she said, a hand on the door handle.

"I hope so. Have fun at work," he said. She looked at him for a second, hesitation in her eyes. Then she leaned across the seat and dropped a kiss on his cheek. She pulled away and went out the door all at once. Tyler couldn't help but grin. He was smiling all the way back to the dorms. He didn't even have time to put his key into his dorm when the door opened and Reid stood in the doorway.

"Where were you?" he asked. Tyler pushed past him and walked into the room.

"I already told you. I was at the café in town, reading," he said, taking off his jacket and uniform blazer.

"You expect me to believe you've been reading for an hour? And why the café? We do have a library here, you know," Reid asked annoyingly. Tyler took off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt.

"Fine, you wanna know? I was out with a girl I met this weekend," he said. Reid's face broke into a smile.

"Baby Boy found a Baby Girl to run with, huh?" he said, smirking. Tyler sat down on his bed and faced the blond.

"We're just friends. I, unlike you, actually want to get to know a girl before I make any move." Reid looked amused.

"So, who is this mystery girl? Do I get to meet her? Is she from here? What does she look like? Is she hot?" Reid asked.

"Her name's Annie Harbor, you don't get to meet her yet, she's not from here, she's a brunette, and yes, she is hot," Tyler smirked at Reid's questions. He caught the look in Reid's eyes and frowned.

"Don't even try it, man," he said. He grabbed a towel from his closet and walked out of the room, leaving Reid looking bewildered.

"What?" he asked. Tyler just glared at him before closing the door.


	5. Boys' Night Out

Chapter 5- Boys' Night Out

_Reid better not be interested in Annie. He hasn't even seen her yet and he's already suggestive about it. Little prick. _Tyler stood under the hot shower, rinsing the day's dirt from his body. _Why did she pull back when I hugged her? I only meant it as a friendly hug. She was looking all flustered and uncomfortable. Was it something I did? _He closed his eyes and let the water flow, then he reached for a bottle of shampoo and started washing his hair. _She looked really good tonight. Actually, she looks good no matter what she wears. _As he rinsed the shampoo from his hair his heart skipped a beat. _What was that? Seriously, I need to do some cardio exercises if my heartbeat's getting irregular. _He wrapped a towel around his hips and stepped out of the shower stall. Tyler found himself thinking of the next time he would get to spend time with her, or just see her. _I could actually like Annie. As in really like her. _He walked to his room and found Reid lounging in his bed, dressed in a gray shirt and a black hoodie.

"What's with the get-up? Are you going somewhere?" Tyler asked as he opened drawers to look for something to wear. Reid got up and walked to his own dresser.

"We're going to Nicky's, remember? Now move your ass so we can go already," he said, pulling on his fingerless gloves. Tyler shrugged in answer and stepped into his jeans. He pulled a black shirt over his head, along with a black sweater and his jacket. He slipped his feet into a pair of Vans, then grabbed his keys and walked out of the room, Reid right behind him. The walk to the Hummer was silent until Reid snatched the keys from Tyler's hand.

"Dude!" Tyler exclaimed.

"I'm driving," Reid said matter-of-factly. Tyler was in too good a mood to argue with him so he let it slide and walked to the passenger side of the car. Reid looked at him strangely.

"Okay… You're not even gonna bitch about it?" he asked incredulously. Tyler gave an amused smile.

"I'm feeling generous today," he answered while opening to door and getting in. Reid followed and soon they were on the road towards Nicky's. Even though it was a school night, the bar was packed with students from Spenser, all playing pool and dancing around. Reid spotted Caleb and Pogue sitting at a table and they walked towards them.

"'Sup fellas?" Reid said as they approached the table, bumping fists with the two boys seated. He and Tyler took a seat.

"So, Baby Boy. Where were you this afternoon? Caleb said you weren't sure to show up tonight," Pogue said, clapping a hand on Tyler's shoulder.

"He was out with a girl!" Reid answered before Tyler could open his mouth. He said it like it was the funniest thing ever.

"Whoa, Ty! Finally found some balls to talk to a girl, huh?" Caleb asked, looking at Tyler jokingly. The group seemed amused and Tyler didn't mind.

"She's just a friend, guys. I met her last Friday after I left," he explained. The guys didn't seem convinced.

"Right. So what's the deal with your… friend?" Pogue asked, wagging his eyebrows.

"He says she's hot, but she doesn't go to Spenser," Reid cut in again

"Would you let me answer the question?" Tyler asked Reid mock-jokingly. Reid conceded and nodded his head.

"She's hot, but she doesn't go to Spenser," he said with a grin. Caleb and Pogue rolled their eyes.

"When do we get to meet her?" Caleb asked.

"I'm not sure, she's really busy. Plus, I'd like to keep her to myself at the moment. I don't want Reid pulling anything on her," he said, his tone still joking but his eyes looking pointedly at Reid. The blond raised his eyebrows threateningly. Caleb and Pogue noticed.

"Okay, break it up," he said, putting a hand on each boy's shoulder.

"Why don't we play a game of pool? Me and Reid against you and Pogue?" Caleb suggested. The guys shrugged and walked to an empty pool table. As Tyler set up, Reid scanned the crowd for exposed flesh.

"Black silk," he said quietly, slapping a twenty on the table and nodding his head towards a blond leaning against the bar. The other guys took notice.

"Blue lace," said Tyler, dropping his twenty on the table as well.

"Purple cotton," added Pogue. They all looked at Caleb, who shrugged.

"Pogue will win," he guessed, placing his own bet. They all leaned forward as Reid flashed his eyes for the reveal. Purple cotton it was. Pogue and Caleb did a high five.

"Yeah! Thanks boys," Pogue said, gathering up the money and giving half to Caleb.

"How do you always know?" Reid asked, frustrated.

"It's a gift, Reid. Don't be jealous now," joked Pogue. Before they could start the game, Reid proposed another bet.

"If Caleb and I win, Baby Boy's gotta introduce us to his Baby Girl. If you win, you can keep her to yourself for as long as you want without me disturbing you," he said, fixing his eyes on Tyler with a challenge. Tyler clenched his jaw.

"Fine. But no Using," he said. Reid shrugged and bent to start the game. He scattered the balls right up, making two fall into side pockets. The game was fairly matched. Reid was the best of them, Caleb sucked, and Tyler and Pogue were pretty good. Finally it came down to Reid and the 8 ball. He took careful aim and shot the ball straight into a corner pocket. He glanced at Tyler triumphantly and kissed the air.

"Set the time and date for this week. Can't wait to meet her, Baby Boy," he said, clapping Tyler on the back before walking to the bar to order some food. The rest of them walked back to the table. After a few minutes Reid came back with a basket of fries.

"Why are you interested in her, Reid? She's not your type, seriously," Tyler said suddenly.

"Dude, _female _is my type," he said with a smirk. Caleb and Pogue chuckled and shook their heads. Tyler gave an inward groan.


	6. Introductions and Teasing

Chapter 6- Introductions and Teasing

Classes went too slowly for the boys. Even Caleb, the group's goody-two-shoes, was complaining on how glacially slow the teachers went through their lessons. Reid summed it up as bitterness on the teachers' part since the students of Spenser were nearing their 3-week Christmas break and therefore would be heading off to their cabins in Aspen and the Alps. This also brought about Tyler's observation on why the faculty kept giving them projects to be submitted on the first day of class after the break. All four boys groaned as they entered their last class for the week: Literature.

"Why do they teach us this crap anyway? It's not like reciting Shakespeare will lessen the world population or anything," Pogue muttered on his way up to his seat. Unfortunately for him the teacher heard his every word.

"Are those your views on Literature, Mr. Parry? Please do explain and defend your answer to the class. I'm sure we would love to hear your opinion," the teacher said as he erased the previous writings from the board.

"Uh, I'm sure they pretty much heard it already, sir," answered Pogue with a sheepish grin. His classmates laughed at his statement before being quieted by the stern look of their teacher.

"I think we've had enough from you today, Mr. Parry," he said, leafing through a book on his desk. The students took their seats and pulled out their notebooks, defeated and bored. As the teacher droned on and on about the exquisite poetry in _Romeo and Juliet_, Tyler let his mind drift out the window, into town, towards a certain café wherein worked a certain girl. Unconsciously he sighed too loudly.

"Ah, I see the romance and the passion is getting to Mr. Sims over there. Would you like to explain what brought on such response from you, Mr. Sims?" the teacher said evilly. He was obviously not the biggest fan of the four boys. Tyler glanced at his brothers for help as whispers erupted between the female population of the class. Caleb, Pogue and Reid were holding back their laughter and Tyler shot them a glare before turning to face the teacher.

"I think that Romeo's uncontrollable passion for Juliet stems from his being himself. He is obviously unable to control strong emotions, and they threaten to engulf him if he refuses to pay heed to their demands. Thus, this results in a flurry of passionate actions and words flowing from the young man's soul," he said, remembering what he had written about the play in an essay last year. The teacher seemed impressed.

"Well, well, what a poignant critique Mr. Sims. Let's give him a round of applause," he said. The class clapped their hands amidst jokes from the guys and admiring looks from the girls. Tyler sunk lower in his seat, wishing the cushion could swallow him. The teacher beamed at him before turning back to his discussion. The last 15 minutes of class was spent on analyzing the images behind the poetry. Tyler almost groaned in relief when the bell rang. As he made his way out of the door he heard giggles and whispers around him.

"See, I told you he was the sensitive type," he heard one girl say. The guys caught up with him, all wearing grins.

"'Romeo's uncontrollable passion'?" Reid started.

"'Threaten to engulf him if he refuses to heed their demands'?" Pogue added.

"'Results in a flurry of actions and words'?" said Caleb.

"'Flowing from the young man's soul'?" all three said before bursting out in laughter. Reid hung on to Pogue's shoulder as his laughter weakened his knees. Even Caleb was clutching his stomach, laughing hysterically. Tyler glared at all of them, knowing he could never live this down.

"Funny, guys, really funny," he said sarcastically. The guys kept laughing, bumping into students and lockers in their mirth. They were still guffawing when they reached Tyler's Hummer in the parking lot. Tyler shoved them into the truck and pulled out of the lot.

"Hey where are we going?" Caleb asked, his laughter finally dying down after a few minutes.

"Thought you guys wanted to meet Annie? Well, if you'd rather make fun of me, I don't mind," Tyler answered, making a show of turning the car around.

"No!" came the three objections. Tyler shrugged and continued driving. A silence descended on the group, broken only by Reid tapping his fingers on the dashboard.

"So… What's she like?" Caleb asked from the backseat. He met Tyler's eyes in the rearview mirror.

"You'll see in a few minutes," he answered shortly. He heard Reid huff out a breath in impatience but didn't say anything. Finally Tyler parked at the curb across the coffee shop and he and the guys got out eagerly. The bell tinkled as they entered the café and the owner rushed to the counter.

"Good afternoon, what can I get you?" he asked them breathlessly.

"Decaf," said Tyler.

"Regular, black," came Pogue's request.

"Regular, with cream," Caleb said.

"Latte," Reid said nonchalantly. They looked at him oddly.

"What? I don't like strong coffee, it gives me funny headaches," the blond defended. The owner rang up their orders and Caleb paid. The four boys sat around the fireplace, all shifting uncomfortably. Reid tapped his foot on the hardwood floor and drummed his fingers on his chin. Pogue began pounding his palms on the armrest of his chair and Caleb ran a hand over his face.

"Stop fidgeting, geez," Tyler told them, their weird nervousness sending a strange aura towards him. He received three glares from his brothers. After a few more minutes, a voice broke through the heavy atmosphere.

"I see someone liked our coffee so much and decided to bring his friends along this time," said the unmistakable voice of Annie as she walked over to them, a tray balanced between her hands. The guys whipped their heads towards her, getting their first look of Tyler's girl. One thing crossed their minds simultaneously: _Ooh. _Reid was definitely getting interested.

"Hey, Annie. These are the guys I told you about. Annie Harbor, meet Caleb Danvers, Pogue Parry, and Reid-"

"Garwin. Reid Garwin," cut in Reid, extending his hand for a shake. Annie put the tray down on the table before taking Reid's hand. He held on for the obvious extra seconds until Caleb cleared his throat and he reluctantly let go of her hand.

"Nice to meet you guys, I've heard a lot about you from Tyler," she said, giving them all her shy but sweet smile. The guys immediately liked her for that.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Now we see why Tyler's been so adamant at keeping you to himself first," Caleb said, throwing a teasing glance at Tyler.

"What?" Annie asked, a blush reddening her cheeks.

"Tyler's been all secretive about you. Won't even tell us what you look like," Pogue explained. Annie glanced quickly at Tyler.

"Really guys," Tyler started.

"I'd do the same thing if I were in his place," Reid added, cutting Tyler off again. Now Annie looked genuinely confused.

"What they mean to say is I've been waiting for the right time to bring them over since you're so busy all the time and we wouldn't want to get in your way," Tyler explained, looking pointedly at the guys. They caught on quickly.

"Yeah, what he said," Pogue said. Annie was still blushing as she arranged the coffees on the table. She straightened up with a smile and turned to talk to Tyler.

"Can I talk to you for a sec?" she whispered, her eyes holding a sparkle, making it seem like they were the only ones around.

"Sure. Is something wrong?" he asked, noticing the distress beneath the sparkle. She glanced uneasily at his friends.

"Could you guys excuse us for a minute?" he asked them. The three guys nodded their heads and Annie took Tyler's hand to lead him towards the counter. Pogue and Caleb watched this with amusement while Reid had a strange look in his eyes. Annie led them to a spot where they would be hidden from his brothers' curious eyes. When she turned to face him, he noticed that she hadn't let go of his hand and he gave an inwards smile.

"I'm sorry for dumping this on you, I just don't know who else to talk to about it," she began.

"Hey, it's okay. What's wrong?" he asked softly.

"The company my dad's working for is merging with another company and they're cutting some of their employees. I have a horrible feeling my dad's gonna be one of them. He can't lose his job, Ty, he can't!" she said, her voice in a ragged whisper and tears already swimming in her eyes. Tyler tightened his hold on her hand.

"We're not sure of that yet. Until the formal announcements have been made, try to think positively. You can't let this get to you, or you'll end up worrying too much and getting tired," he said, meeting her eyes steadily. There was still doubt in her eyes and Tyler desperately wanted to reassure her. An idea popped into his head.

"Hey, your dad is used to talking to people, isn't he? Like setting appointments and stuff?" he asked her. She nodded.

"He knows how to drive, too?" She nodded again.

"And he can do things around the house, fixing doors and such?" Another nod. Tyler began to smile.

"My dad's looking for a PA, someone to organize his files, his schedule, all that stuff. And my mom's looking for someone to work around the house. I'll talk to my parents about your dad and see if they'll hire your dad. I'm sure they will, they're good people and your dad seems like a hard worker. Tell your dad, if his company cuts him, there's a job waiting for him and he doesn't have to worry. Okay?" he said. Annie looked at him with tears in her eyes, her expression unbelieving but hopeful.

"You would do that? Really?" she asked.

"Of course," he answered. Without another word, Annie threw her arms around his neck in a hug.

"Thank you! Thank you so much! He's gonna be so happy! Oh, thank you so much!" she said, her voice still in a whisper and her breath brushing over his neck. Tyler wrapped his arms around her waist.

"It's no problem at all," he said into her hair. When she pulled back, it wasn't with uneasiness. In fact, she looked quite comfortable resting her hands on his shoulders. She didn't seem to mind that his hands were at the small of her back either. She looked so happy that her whole face seemed to light up.

"Thank you again," she said sincerely.

"You're welcome. I should let you get back to work," he said, reluctantly removing his hands from around her.

"You're right. I don't want to lose my job," she chuckled. Annie walked back to the kitchen, looking back at him before disappearing around a corner. Tyler hid his smile as he walked back to his friends. Reid smirked at him.

"Got something to share?" he asked.

"Not really," Tyler answered in a tease. Caleb didn't like the look Reid was giving Tyler and decided to change the topic.

"I hope you don't mind I invited Sarah to come. She's bringing Kate, too," he added to Pogue. As if on cue, the bell tinkled and the two girls stepped in. they gave their orders to the owner and walked over to the guys. Pogue got chairs for the girls. He and Caleb greeted their girlfriends with short kisses.

"Hey Reid, Tyler," Kate said to the two boys as Sarah gave them a small wave.

"So… We heard about your little speech in Lit class, Ty," said Sarah with a teasing smile.

"I knew you had that romantic side in you," added Kate.

"The girls' dorm has been buzzing about it ever since! Something about an 'uncontrollable passion' or something. Did I get that right?" Sarah teased. They teased him for a good five minutes, recounting stories of love-stricken girls in the hallways and showers. The guys laughed loudly. Tyler pretended to be mad but couldn't help laughing at the embarrassing anecdotes the girls shared. They kept at in until Annie arrived with the girls' drinks. She set them down on the table.

"Girls, this is Annie Harbor, a friend of Tyler's. Annie, this is Sarah Wenham and that's Kate Tunney," Caleb said. The girls waved at Annie and was about to ask her something when Annie's boss called for her.

"Annie, back to work," he said gently. Annie blushed profusely and walked back to the counter, muttering apologies to the group and to her boss. The girls turned back to Tyler with renewed teasing power.

"A friend of yours, huh?" Kate started.

"How come we've never heard of your _friend_ before?" Sarah asked innocently. The guys started chuckling again. They loved putting Tyler on the spot.

"I told you: we're just friends," Tyler explained for what he felt was the millionth time that day.

"Right," Sarah said with a grin.

"Let's pretend we believe you," Kate said.

"You two are sounding incredibly like your boyfriends," Tyler said with a frown.

"Or vice versa," Pogue said. A silence fell over the group comfortably. Suddenly Reid spoke up.

"You say you're just friends, right?"

"Yeah," Tyler said cautiously.

"So you wouldn't mind if I ask her out then," Reid said with a cunning look. Tyler tensed up. He was about to say that he did indeed mind until Reid cocked his eyebrow. The blond seemed to be testing him.

"No, I wouldn't mind," Tyler said with much difficulty. _Damn Reid and his stupid plays! _

"I won't ask her out yet, though. I'll take my sweet time," he said triumphantly. _I'm sure you do. You just love watching me squirm, don't you? Asshole. _Suddenly Pogue stood up.

"I'm getting tired. Can we head back now?" he said, obviously trying to break the tension between his two friends.

"Yeah, we can go. I'll just say good-bye to Annie," Tyler said, his jaw still tense and his eyes gone dark. He walked ahead of them towards the counter. Caleb grabbed Reid by the shoulder.

"What?"

"You're such an ass, Reid," he said before holding open the door for the girls. Reid just shrugged his shoulders and followed them out of the café.


	7. Squabbles

Chapter 7- Squabbles

A/N: Hi! I'm having a little writer's block at the moment, and this is the best I could come up with :( If you've noticed, this chapter was not Tyler-centered. I suddenly felt detached to him. Sad. So anyway, I hope you guys will still read it. :) Thanks for the reviews!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sims, Garwin, knock it off before I send you both to the Provost's office," thundered Mr. Lipsh on the last day of classes the next week. Reid had been bugging Tyler about asking Annie out and Tyler was getting incredible angry. He and the blond have been bickering ever since they entered their European History class and were now hitting each other on the head with their pens. The teacher glared up at them. Reid, cool and collected as ever, merely shrugged and slumped in his seat while Tyler huffed out a breath and roughly opened his notebook.

"I will tolerate none of your childishness in my class. As young men you should have enough discipline to restrain your anger. Both of you see me after class," he said ominously. Both Reid and Tyler suppressed groans and rolled their eyes. Almost 5 minutes passed in silent note-taking until a ball of paper hit Tyler on the head. He picked it up and read the note. _Cut it out Baby Boy or Caleb's gonna throw a fit._ It was in Pogue's slanting handwriting. _He doesn't need to know_, he wrote back and threw the ball over his shoulder without looking. The ball bounced back to him seconds later. _Just stay out of trouble_, it said. Tyler turned to fix Pogue with a glare before stuffing the note back inside his pocket. The bell rang soon after that and the students rushed out of the room, talking excitedly about their vacation plans. Tyler and Reid hung back, neither taking pleasure in seeing Mr. Lipsh. They ambled down the stairs as slowly as possible. Once they go to the teacher's desk, Mr. Lipsh fixed them with an evil look.

"Do not think that just because you are rich, spoiled brats that I will allow you to disrupt my class. I have tolerated your disrespect for a long time, especially from you Mr. Garwin, and I will not stand for it any longer," he said, his face red and shaking if the situation hadn't been so serious Reid and Tyler would have been laughing their asses off. As it wasn't, they kept their faces devoid of any emotion.

"I believe a little extra work for you both will be necessary to get my point across. On the first day of classes after this break I will want a 12-page research paper about any significant even in European history. Cite your sources and cite them accurately. I will know if you have plagiarized any work. And do not assume that I will forget because I will be expecting that paper. You may leave," he dismissed. His face carried a triumphant smirk.

"Have a pleasant holiday, Mr. Lipsh," Reid said with just the right amount of sarcasm. They walked out of the lecture hall in a hurry and bumped into Caleb and Pogue who were lounging by the door.

"What did you do now? And why was Tyler with you?" Caleb asked immediately.

"Baby Boy decided to attack me while Mr. Lipsh was explaining the Napoleonic Wars," Reid said.

"I did not attack you. And Mr. Lipsh was discussing the World War I events, doofus," Tyler countered. Caleb didn't look happy.

"Attack, as in you were Using?" he asked.

"Yeah, we blasted energy balls at each other and everyone was cheering," Reid said sarcastically.

"I'm not kidding, Reid," Caleb said, his already dark eyes darkening some more.

"What do you think of me stupid? We just hit each other with pens. Geez," Reid answered exasperatedly. Caleb ran a hand over his face.

"So what did he want?" Pogue asked Tyler, nodding his head towards the classroom.

"Just gave us this little lecture about disrespect and stuff. And he gave as an additional assignment," Tyler answered. Caleb turned to him.

"What assignment?" he asked.

"A 12-page research paper," Tyler said.

"Well, it's what you deserve," Caleb said annoyingly.

"Yeah, yeah. Can we go now?" Reid said, irritated.

"Coach wants one last practice before the break, so we have to get to the pool," Pogue said, already loosening his tie. The rest of the group groaned but walked nonetheless to the pool arena. Once there, they were met by their trainer.

"Speed it up, guys. The coach wants to get a lot done this afternoon," he said. The group quickened their pace towards the locker rooms and quickly changed into their suits.

"Danvers, I want to see you break your own time today," the coach barked just as they were leaving the locker rooms. Caleb nodded and did some warm-up exercises.

"Parry, keep up the good work. Sims, just a little more push. And Garwin, I have no problem with your breaststroke, but I do have problems with your schooling. Your teachers have been complaining about your attitude. What's this about another detention?" the coach asked sternly. Caleb looked up from his stretches and mouthed _What detention? _Reid ignored him and turned to the coach.

"I got caught sleeping in class earlier," he said like it was the most common thing in the world. The coach frowned.

"You better clean up your act, Garwin, or I may be forced to kick you off the team," he said, turning back to the girls in the pool doing backstroke. Reid joined Pogue and Tyler with their warm-up and felt his cramped muscles loosening up. Coach blew his whistle and the boys' team gathered around him.

"Okay, I want Danvers, Parry, Garwin, and Sims in the pool. Just do your own stroke, up the pool and back," he instructed. The four boys nodded. Tyler dove in the water while the others climbed up on the diving boards. They got into position, slipping on their swimming caps and goggles.

"On your mark, get set, go!" the coach blew his whistle and the four boys kicked off. Pogue and Caleb were the fastest, while Reid and Tyler were neck and neck. Pogue began gathering speed and was the first to the flip on the other end, Caleb right behind him, followed by Tyler then Reid. Their teammates cheered them on along with the other students sitting at the stands. Caleb pulled ahead of Pogue on the last few meters and touched the other end first. The crowd cheered. The four boys got out of the pool and received a pat on the back from the coach.

"Nice work, as always, gentlemen. Take a breather and I'll call you back later on," he said. He called for the next batch to race. Reid walked off to flirt with some girls by the bench and the rest made their way to the wall.

"Good one, Ty. You actually went ahead of Reid this time," Pogue said.

"I just wanted to beat him pretty bad," Tyler said, his eyes looking off to the distance.

"Because of Annie?" Caleb asked. Tyler's blue eyes met Caleb's dark ones before looking away quickly. He didn't answer the question.

"You know, Reid's only doing that to piss you off, Ty. You know that. He wants to see if you're really interested in her," Pogue said.

"Yeah, he's just testing you," Caleb added.

"No, he's not. He wants her. He wants every girl in the world. Do you guys remember last year, with Kristal? I dated her for a while and Reid started getting hot for her. One day she broke off our date and I saw her and Reid making out at the locker rooms. Before I dated her Reid had no interest in her. He just wants every girl that I like," Tyler said. Caleb and Pogue acknowledged this.

"So, you're saying you like Annie?" asked Caleb.

"Yes, I like Annie, but I didn't want to say so because Reid would just go after her. Much difference it makes now, huh?" he said bitterly.

"Well, to be honest with you, Ty, Annie is quite a looker. She's a beautiful girl," Pogue said.

"You've gotta stand up to Reid this time, Ty," Caleb said.

"How? He's asking her out as soon as possible," Tyler lamented.

"Ask her out first," Caleb said decisively. Pogue nodded his head in agreement. Tyler looked thoughtful.

"Okay, I'll do it. Today," he said. Caleb and Pogue grinned, clapping their hands on Tyler's shoulders. He couldn't help but grin.


	8. Go For It

Chapter 8- Just Go For It

After taking a quick shower and changing into regular clothes, Tyler rushed to his Hummer before he lost his nerve. He quickly got in, gunned the engine, and sped off to town. While driving, he gripped the wheel until his knuckles turned white, his thoughts bumping against each other.

_What am I gonna say to her? How do I ask her out? How do I tell her? _He was driving himself crazy. Before he had even gotten his gameplan outlined, he found himself parking at his spot in front of the café. He stalled for a bit, gathering courage and taking deep breaths. Then he pushed open his door and got out of the car, entering the now-familiar café in a rush. The owner looked at him in surprise before regaining his composure and giving a courteous smile.

"A decaf for you, Mr. Sims?" he asked.

"Um, nothing for me today, sir. Actually, I was wondering, is Annie here?" Tyler asked politely. The owner gave a knowing smile and shook his head.

"I gave Annie her day off today, I noticed she was looking a little haggard," the old man said, scratching his beard thoughtfully. Tyler looked worried.

"Is she sick?" he asked uneasily.

"I don't think so, but I'm sure she'd be pleased to see you," he said, the knowing smile still firmly in place.

"Oh, okay. I'll catch her at her house then. Thank you, sir," he gave a small nod and a smile of thanks before turning on his heel to exit the café. Before heading over to Annie's house Tyler stopped by the local bakery to pick up some sweet pastries for the boys. He picked up a thermos of hot chocolate too and walked back to his car with his purchases. The short drive to Annie's home was filled with quiet anticipation and nervous energy. Finally he parked outside the apartment complex and got out of the car. He clutched the goodies in one hand while he ruffled his hair with his other hand. His breath came out in steam as the cold winter air rushed around him. Tyler quickened his steps towards the front door and rang the bell for the Harbor residence.

"_Hello?_" said the young voice of Michael on the intercom.

"Hey, Mike, it's Tyler. Is your sister there?" he asked.

"_Oh, hey Tyler. Yeah, she's here, come right up,_" he answered. His voice was followed by a beep and the unlocking of the front door. Tyler made his way up to the 3rd floor. As he rounded the landing a small body knocked into him before he could react. Looking down, he saw a young boy with light brown hair clutching him around the legs.

"Hey there Sam!" Tyler said fondly, ruffling the boy's hair with his free hand. The 3-year old looked at him with a toothy grin before pulling him towards a hallway leading to their apartment.

"What'_th _up Tyler? I _thaw _you through the window!" he said excitedly.

Tyler chuckled. "Really, buddy? You must have good eyesight to see me from that far," he said. The boy beamed brightly at him and pulled him into their warm apartment. Mike was waiting by the door with his small hands on his waist and a stern look on his face.

"I told you no running, Sammy," he said seriously. The younger boy just giggled and pushed past his brother.

"Hi, Mike. How's it going?" Tyler asked

"Pretty good," he answered and led the way towards the kitchen. "Annie's in the bathroom, but she'll be out soon." Tyler set the sweets down on the table.

"Have you got any mugs, Mike? I brought us some hot chocolate," Tyler said. The boys made a mad scramble to set the table and arrange the food. He looked at them fondly with a small smile.

"Careful with that thermos, Mikey," warned Annie from where she was standing at the living room. Tyler turned around to face her and his smile got wider. Annie's hair was loose down her back, the way he liked it, and she was wearing a white t-shirt and grey sweatpants. Over her shirt was a blue thermal hoodie and on her feet where fuzzy slippers. Even though the outfit was simple, her slender curves were still discretely displayed. Tyler walked to her and she greeted him with her familiar smile. She surprised him by standing on her tiptoes and planting a sweet kiss on his cheek. She pulled back and smiled.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey," he answered, a goofy grin on his face. Then his face darkened a fraction when he noticed her pallor. Gone was the ever-present blush on her cheeks, and her lips were not their normal shade of vibrant pink. Tyler stepped closer to her.

"Are you feeling well?" he asked, his brow furrowing. He brought his hand up to her forehead to check her temperature as she ducked her head.

"I'm fine, just a tad bit tired," she answered. He moved his hand to her cheek, trying to warm the cold skin.

"Maybe you should skip your evening jobs tonight." A thrill passed through him as she snuggled into his touch. She smiled up at him reassuringly.

"Yeah, actually I already called the restaurant to tell them I wasn't coming in tonight," she said. Tyler looked at her for a second, his hand caressing her cheek. Then he brushed away a strand of hair and pushed it back behind her ear.

"Good. Come over to the kitchen, let's get you something warm to drink," he said, taking her hand and pulling her towards the kitchen where the boys were already munching on freshly baked brownies and cookies. Tyler pulled out her seat for her before taking the seat on the opposite side of the table. They chatted with the boys, who were more than excited to be on holiday already, and talked away until every crumb was gone and every mug was drained. As the boys ran to the living room to play, Tyler and Annie were left at the kitchen to put the dishes in the sink. There was a comfortable silence as they did their chores, broken only by Annie's feeble attempts to Tyler to let her do the cleaning. Finally all the dishes were in their drawers and the table was wiped clean. Tyler dried his hands on a towel and handed it to Annie. _Okay, this is your chance, man. Just go for it. c'mon._ Tyler stopped her with a hand on his arm and she looked at him questioningly.

"Um, I was wondering, actually, if you're busy tomorrow night?" he started, his blue eyes never leaving hers. A small smile played on the corners of her lips.

"My boss at Blue's gave me the weekend off to rest, and the boys don't have class anymore, so I'm free," she said. Tyler smiled.

"Good, 'coz I want to ask you out to dinner for tomorrow, if that's okay" he said. The smile on their faces grew wider of their own accord. Annie bit her bottom lip cutely before nodding her head.

"Sure, that'd be great. Thanks," she said, her cheeks gaining back their color through blushing. Tyler was pleased to see this and to hear her answer.

"Thanks for accepting. It won't be anything too formal, just be comfortable and keep warm," he said. Annie nodded, the smile still in place. Tyler was so happy he could have leaned down and kissed her. But his phone rang in his pocket, breaking the mood.

"I gotta take this," he said apologetically.

"Go ahead," she said, stepping away to give him privacy. Tyler opened his phone.

"Hey," he said.

"_Spill the beans!_" came Pogue's eager voice. Tyler chuckled.

"Later, man," he promised.

"_Okay. Man, will Reid be pissed when he finds out!_" Pogue answered. The line went dead and Tyler tucked his phone back into his jacket pocket. The he turned back to Annie. She was sitting at the table, her small feel dangling off the floor. He thought she looked pretty adorable. _Or pretty alluring_. Her smile was still in place, but now it held a spark of quirkiness. There was a different glint to her eyes. Tyler gazed at her, mesmerized, before snapping back to his senses.

"Uh, that was Pogue, you know Pogue right? He, uh, was wondering where I was, and uh, I should better go before it gets dark, you know how slippery the roads get with the little falling things, the snow, so I should go now," he stammered, still caught in her eyes. She jumped off the table and walked to him, placing a hand on his cheek. The tenderness was back in her eyes again.

"Okay, Tyler. Be safe okay? Don't drive too fast," she said. Tyler calmed down and placed his hand over hers. Without thinking he brought her hand to his lips and placed a small kiss on her fingertips.

"I won't. And you get better, get some rest," he said. He made his way towards the door, saying good-bye to the boys on his way. Before he walked out, Tyler looked back at her with a smile.

"_Mańana_," he said. Then he walked out, closed the door, and battled the cold winds to get to his car, all the while with a smile dancing on his lips.


	9. The First Date

Chapter 9- The First Date

"Where'd you go after practice?" Reid asked casually as they both lay on their beds in the dark, unable to sleep. A lot of their conversations were at times like this, and this was how their friendship had strengthened.

Tyler hesitated before answering, "I went to town." Reid gave him look.

"Again? You've been going into town almost every day for the past 2 weeks. What's got you suddenly interested?" he asked suspiciously.

"Just getting coffee," Tyler said cautiously. He didn't know how to tell Reid that he'd asked Annie out and he was stumbling through his excuses.

"And this has nothing to do with the fact that a certain _friend _of yours works there, right? Might I also add that said friend happens to be gorgeous."

Tyler could almost see the smirk on Reid's face as his ears picked up on the sarcasm. He huffed out a breath, then made up his mind and decided to tell Reid about the whole thing.

"Actually, I asked Annie out tonight," he said, glancing at his best friend to gauge his reaction. Reid was still looking at the ceiling, but the humor was gone from his face to be replaced by a forced expressionless façade.

"Huh. So you asked her out?" Reid asked, looking over at Tyler.

"Yeah-"

"After I asked you if _I _could ask her out?" Reid cut in.

"Reid-"

"That's just great, Ty. Really, that's great," Reid said sarcastically then without another word, he turned on his side to face the wall. Tyler took that as the end of their conversation. He cursed inwardly and turned to face the wall as well. Yet deep in his mind, no matter how bad he felt about going behind his best friend's back, Tyler couldn't find it in himself to regret having asked Annie out. With that thought, he closed his eyes and courted sleep.

--

Early the next morning Pogue and Tyler were jogging around the campus. Reid wasn't up yet and Caleb wanted to sleep in which resulted in the switch of partners for the morning. They didn't mind though; the peacekeepers of the Covenant got along great.

"And how did Reid take it?" Pogue asked. They had been talking about Tyler's date with Annie and the topic led to Reid.

"I don't know actually. When I told him about it last night he was a little sarcastic about it, and maybe even a little offended. He wouldn't talk to me after that so I just let him be," Tyler answered, his brow furrowing and his pace faltering a little.

"Don't worry, man. If I know Reid, he'll get over it soon," Pogue said knowingly.

"Let's hope so. I don't want this thing hanging over the air on my date tonight."

"Speaking of which, how's it gonna go? What's your game plan?" Pogue grinned.

"I'm taking her to dinner at Luna," Tyler answered. _Luna _was a semi-formal but funky Italian café that served great pastas and pizzas. Not to mention their pastries were to die for. The guys went there when they wanted a bit more than just burgers and fries.

"Good choice," Pogue said with approval, "Any plans for afterwards?"

"Not really. I don't want to keep her out too late since she has an early morning job and she's been looking a little sick so I don't want her tired," Tyler said worriedly, remembering how pale she looked yesterday.

Pogue nodded understandingly. They continued their jog in silence, both deep in thought.

--

"So I pretended to be all mad and disappointed, you know, just to get Baby Boy a little hyped up," Reid chuckled.

He and Caleb were driving to town to pick up some food for breakfast. The cafeteria at school was closed for the holidays so the students who were staying at the dorms had to find their food somewhere else. Which is why Caleb and Reid, the Covenant's warring brothers, were actually _together_ in Caleb's Mustang. The Covenant was at peace for the past months now, mainly because Reid had stopped Using so much and Caleb had learned how to loosen up a bit. Both realized that they didn't have to rip each other's guts out.

"You think that's a good idea, Reid? You know how Tyler is about keeping the Covenant at peace. You don't want him to give up Annie because of his loyalty to you, do you?" Caleb asked, being his usual worrywart.

"Relax, man. I'm not gonna let it go that far. And besides, you and I both know that Tyler needs a girlfriend. Annie could be a good thing for him and I'm not gonna get in their way," he answered, "Besides, I'm just doing it coz he looks funny when he's uncomfortable, but I'm not gonna ruin things for him."

Caleb looked at him disbelievingly. "Seriously? Wow, I'm impressed. You're actually trying _not _to be a jerk," he said jokingly.

"Yeah, whatever," Reid answered sarcastically. Caleb parked his car and they walked into the warm bakery. They picked up bagels, muffins, pancakes, and a couple of brownies for Pogue's sweet tooth. They dropped off the food at the car before walking up the street to the café where Annie worked.

"Good morning, sir," Caleb said politely to the owner.

"Ah, Mr. Danvers, Mr. Garwin, good morning. The usual for you?" he asked.

"Yeah, and can you throw in Pogue's and Tyler's, too? We'll take that to go," Reid said. Mr. Karch nodded and gestured for them to get comfortable while they waited. The door opened suddenly, bringing with it a blast of cold air. They turned to see who just came in and saw Annie with two young boys bundled up heavily in coats and boots.

"Hi Annie," Caleb greeted.

Annie looked up from fixing the hats on the boys' heads. "Oh hey. Caleb and Reid, right?" she said with a smile.

"Yeah, that's us. And who are these?" Reid asked, indicating the two boys at her side.

"These are my brothers, Mike and Sam. Boys, these are Tyler's friends," she introduced. Reid noted that the boys' eyes where the same clear blue as their sister's. _Man, this girl is really beautiful. Tyler's a lucky guy. _

"Hey there. What brings you out on such a cold morning?" asked Caleb of the boys.

"We're getting food for break_fatht_," said Sam enthusiastically. The older boys chuckled good-naturedly at his lisp. Mr. Karch reappeared soon with their orders.

"Well, we should be getting on our way," Reid said, taking the coffees.

"Okay. Nice seeing you guys. Oh, and can you tell Tyler and the other one-Pogue- that I said hi?" she asked.

"Sure. Nice seeing you Annie. And it was a pleasure meeting you guys," Caleb said before waving goodbye and walking out the door, Reid right behind him. They hurried to the car and sped off to Pogue's apartment where they had agreed to meet with the others.

--

"Hey hey! Do I smell a brownie?" Pogue asked as soon as they walked through the door. Reid rolled his eyes and handed the bag to Pogue.

"You know, you would think that someone who drives a Ducati to school at 120 kph would want a bong hit for breakfast but Pogue here has to get his high from a _brownie_," Reid commented dryly. Caleb chuckled as he arranged the food on the table.

"What's so funny?" Tyler asked from where he had just stepped out of the shower. He was drying his hair with a towel and trying to pull on a sweatshirt at the same time.

"Hey Ty," Caleb said, reaching over to bump the younger one's fist.

"What's up Baby Boy? We bumped into a certain someone in town this morning," Reid said as they did their handshake.

"Who? Annie?" Tyler asked, a grin spreading on his face.

"No, the Abominable Snowman dropped by for a moccachino at the café," Reid said exasperatedly, "Of course it was Annie."

Tyler's grin dropped into a frown. "Why was she there? Was she working?"

"She was picking up breakfast with her brothers, don't worry," Caleb assured him.

"Although now that you mention it, she was looking a bit under the weather," Reid said unnecessarily. Caleb threw him a look that clearly said _Thanks for that, idiot. _Even Pogue abandoned his brownie for a second to glare at Reid.

"I knew it. She shouldn't be out so early, especially in this cold. I swear, that girl is going to get sick again. I should go over to their house right now to make sure that she's eating properly and keeping warm. You know, she goes a day without a single meal and she does a full day of work. Who wouldn't get sick? I keep telling her to lighten her workload, but does she listen to me? No. she's a lot more stubborn than her looks suggest," Tyler said exasperatedly, working himself into a frenzy.

He was pacing the floor in agitated strides, making Reid and Caleb dizzy just looking at him. Pogue finally stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Tyler, you gotta chill. She's not gonna pass out in the middle of the street you know," he said through a mouthful of brownie.

"You can't be so sure of that. She's running herself haggard and she doesn't seem to be slowing down," said Tyler worriedly.

"You know what Ty? Relax. She's a big girl and she has certainly managed to stay alive for the past years that you weren't there yet. And from what you tell me about her and the family, she's a tough girl. So just relax a bit," Caleb said, pushing Tyler to sit at the table. He placed his coffee in front of him and stuck a blueberry muffin in his hand.

"Fine," Tyler sighed, "and thanks," he added, gesturing to the muffin. Caleb nodded his head and returned to his self-appointed task of preparing the table for breakfast.

All the while, Reid was watching the scene carefully from where he was leaning against the kitchen sink.

_Baby Boy must really have it in for her. I've never seen him this worried about someone outside of the Covenant before. He really cares for her. Maybe I should just let them be. _

But his mind flashed back to Annie's gorgeous face and incredible figure. _But she's too beautiful to be left alone. I want her for myself. Plus, Baby Boy won't go against me if I decide to go for, will he? _

His mind threw him memories of when Tyler had been there for him when no one else was. It reminded him of the times when Tyler stood up to him, helped him home from parties after getting too drunk, let him borrow his car.

_But Tyler's my best friend. I can't do that to him. Hmm… How about a little experiment? _

"Reid!"

He snapped out of his thoughts. "Huh?"

"I was asking if you'd like the pancakes or the bagel," Caleb asked exasperatedly. Clearly he had been repeating the question more than twice.

"Uh, I'll have the pancakes," he said, sitting down at the table beside Tyler. Pogue joined them, a second brownie in his hand. Caleb set down a plate of pancakes in front of Reid along with a dish of butter and a small carafe of syrup. Reid nodded his head in thanks and they all settled down to eat.

"So what's the plan for tonight's date, Ty?" Caleb asked. Tyler glanced uneasily at Reid. He didn't know what his best friend's stand on the date was, and he didn't want there to a meaningless argument.

Reid looked interested in his pancakes though, so Tyler answered cautiously, "Well, I'm taking her to dinner at Luna."

Caleb and Reid looked at him expectantly. "And?" Caleb pressed.

"And… that's about it," Tyler answered sheepishly.

A silence descended on the group making Tyler nervous. The guys were trading glances at each other like they knew something he didn't.

"What?" an alarmed Tyler asked as he watched Caleb shake his head while Reid made a disapproving grunt in his throat.

Reid sighed. "You gotta do more than that if you want to leave an impression, Baby Boy."

"Yeah, make the date a bit more memorable than that," Caleb agreed. Tyler looked panicked and Reid got a sick sort of happiness from seeing him so uncomfortable. _Time to rub it in. _

"Maybe _I _should take her out tonight and show her how a _real _man treats his lady, _**Baby Boy**_," Reid hinted, fixing Tyler with a dead-serious expression. Reid seemed challenging, and Tyler was getting unnerved by the cold light in his best friend's eyes. Caleb and Pogue looked back and forth between the two boys.

Then suddenly, the blonde's face broke into a wide grin. "Just kidding!" he exclaimed, clapping Tyler on the back. The others laughed hesitantly and Tyler had an unsure smile on his face.

"Gotcha!" Reid joked before turning back to his pancakes. Tyler looked at him for a while, looking for signs of seriousness in Reid's face. When he found none, he returned the back pat.

"You had me there for a second! Not funny, man!" he said. Reid merely chuckled and swallowed his bite of pancakes. He met Caleb's eyes across the table.

Their leader was looking at him wonderingly, confused. He wasn't sure if Reid was kidding or not. Reid threw him a half-smile half-smirk. Caleb returned it with the same kind of fakeness. _Something is definitely off with Reid_, Caleb thought. He made a point to himself to keep better watch of their daring brother in the following hours.

--

Tyler and Reid were back in their room a little after 3 PM. As Tyler threw the keys to his Hummer on the desk, Reid was fiddling with his phone, scrolling through his list of contacts. He was tapping his fingers against his chin absently.

"What are you doing?" Tyler asked. Reid looked up briefly and shrugged.

"Looking for someone to hang out with tonight since you'll be out with your date," he answered. Tyler nodded and went to his closet to pick out something to wear.

"I'll be right back," Reid said suddenly, already heading out the door.

"Hey, wait. Where are you-"

"Later."

Reid rushed out with a slam, leaving Tyler to stare at the door. He went back to his closet, but he couldn't help the nagging though that was creeping into his mind.

_Reid looked pretty serious about what he said earlier at the apartment. But then again, you never know with him. Was he really serious about wanting to ask Annie out? Or was he just yanking my chain? What if he decides to ask her out? No, he wouldn't do that. I'm dating Annie now, and he wouldn't do that to me. _Tyler was convinced of his best friend's innocence.

_But remember Kristal? You dated her, too. That didn't stop Reid now, did it?_ said another voice in his head. A trickle of doubt seeped into his mind.

_Reid won't do that again…right?_

--

Out in the courtyard, Reid was talking into his phone.

"Hey baby!" he said in a tone he usually used to pick up girls.

"_Reid_?" came the confused voice on the other end. It was Kristal, the girl Tyler was dating before Reid took her for himself.

"One and only, babe."

"_I'm glad you called. What's up_?" she asked, her voice going husky and seductive. Reid smiled to himself.

"I was wondering if you're free for tonight. I'd like to ask you out to dinner," he said charmingly. There was a pause on the other line and Reid knew why: he didn't take girls out to dinner.

"_Um, sure, I'd love to_," she said after a while.

"Great. I'll pick you up at your room around 7. Dress pretty," he said. A grin was beginning to settle on his lips.

"_Okay, see you then_."

"Bye." _Step one: complete_. All he had left to do was make a reservation at Luna and let the night do its magic.

--

Later that night, Tyler was driving towards the docks, one hand on the wheel and the other running through his brown hair. To say that he was nervous was putting it kindly. He ran a finger along the neckline of his black sweater, feeling the perspiration gather despite the cold weather. _Man oh man. _

When he parked outside her apartment, he got out quickly before he lost his nerve. He ran to the front door and buzzed for the Harbor residence.

"_Hey!"_ said Annie's voice over the intercom.

"Annie! It's Tyler," he said.

"_Oh! Hi Ty! C'mon up!"_ a buzz followed her voice and the front door unlocked. Tyler rushed up the stairs to Annie's apartment. The door to their apartment was open and Annie's head poked out. A smile spread on both their faces.

"Hi," he said. Annie stepped out into the hallway, clutching a dark brown jacket.

"Hi," she answered sweetly. Tyler took in her outfit: winter boots, dark snug jeans, and a deep pink turtleneck that hugged every curve. Her hair was down again.

"You look great," he said with a smile and a step closer to her. She blushed, and he was pleased to see the pink hue back on her face.

"Thanks, so do you."

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, lead the way."

Tyler took her hand and they walked down the stairs together. He led them quickly across the frozen lawn and ushered her into the relative warmth of the Hummer. He got in a few seconds later, shaking out the snow from his hair.

"Darn, it's cold," Tyler said, stating the obvious. There was still a sprinkling of snow on his hair and Annie reached up to brush them away. Their eyes met briefly before both looked down shyly. Tyler started the engine and they were soon battling the elements as they sped off to town. The atmosphere in the car was comfortable, though there was an undeniable anticipation going off between the two.

Pretty soon they were parked at Luna's and were stepping into the warm restaurant. The head waiter greeted them as they entered.

"Ah, Signorino Tyler, good evening. I see you're not with the young masters tonight," he said pleasantly.

"Not tonight, Marcus. This is Annie Harbor," Tyler introduced.

"Welcome to Luna, Signorina Annie," Marcus said, taking her hand and dropping a polite kiss on it, "Your table is ready, Signorino. Right this way."

They followed him to a table set beautifully for two near the window, where they were secluded enough from the crowd while still offering a view of the town. Tyler pulled out her chair for her before going to the other side of the table and taking a seat. Marcus handed them their menus.

"Just call for me when you are ready to order, Signorino," he said. He left them at their table.

"Seems like he knows you on a personal level," Annie said to Tyler as they perused the menu.

"The guys and I come down here often. And our parents have been throwing dinners here since we were born, so the staff knew us early on," he explained.

"It must be delightful not to have to be on the waitlist for reservations," she said with a smile.

"It has its perks here and there," Tyler agreed, "so what will you have?"

"I'm not really familiar with the food here. What would you recommend?" she asked, biting her lip.

"Well, to start, we'll get you a big green salad. Trust me, it's good here. And besides, you need your nourishment," he started with an endearing protectiveness, "then if you like, we can share their special pizza. It's got everything you can think of putting into a pizza with tons of cheese."

"Sounds great," she said happily, "although no anchovies. They give me weird allergies."

"Sure. So we both get salad, and the great big pizza. What do you want to drink?"

"Umm… I'd take apple cider."

"Okay," Tyler said, and then casually raised his hand to signal for Marcus. He relayed their orders and Marcus bustled off.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, Tyler turned to Annie again.

"So, how'd the deal go with your dad?" he asked cautiously.

"Uh, they haven't heard much news yet. They think the company's gonna be doing the cuts after the holidays," she answered nervously. Tyler picked up on the vibe and reached out his hand to touch hers across the tables.

"Hey, there's nothing to worry about. We have a back-up plan, remember? My parents are thrilled with the idea, and they can't wait to meet your dad," he said reassuringly.

Annie smiled at him brightly. "How can I ever repay you?" she said.

"You don't have to," he assured.

"I will find a way to repay you," she asserted. Just then, Marcus arrived with their salads and they dug into the fresh greens. This was followed by the pizza, which was indeed large, and they laughed as the melted cheese stuck to their teeth. Surprisingly, they finished every bit of their pizza and soon Marcus was back for their desserts.

"Do you still want me to order for you?" he asked. When she nodded he turned to Marcus, saying, "We'll have the tiramisu and the chocolate cannoli."

Their desserts came and they savored the savory sweets. Halfway through each dessert they traded plates tasted the other dessert. At last, they both put down their forks and napkins.

"Thank you," Annie said quietly as they sat waiting for the check. A small smile graced her lips.

"No, thank _you_," Tyler countered. The check arrived and Tyler paid for it with his credit card. After a quick signing of receipts, Tyler helped Annie out of her chair and they were walking towards the exit.

They were just putting on their coats when a blast of cold air was ushered in by the opened door. They turned to look who it was, and Tyler felt his jaw drop.

Standing at the doorway, looking very pretty in a dark red knit dress and black boots, was Kristal Miller, the girl he had dated for more than a few months. She seemed surprised that he was here, and just a little guilty-looking and confused.

"Kristal –" Tyler stuttered, unsure of what to say.

"Tyler. Hi," Kristal said, similarly baffled.

"W-what a surprise. Who are you here with?" he asked. Annie was looking curiously at the two, clearly confused. But a bigger surprise was on its way.

"She's here with me," said a smug voice Tyler knew all to well.

Reid.

"What are you doing here, man?" Tyler asked his best friend lightly.

"Same as you, taking out a lovely girl to dinner," Reid answered smoothly, "Annie! How great to see you. Do you know each other?" he asked, gesturing between the two girls.

"No, I believe not," Annie said meekly.

"Well, let me introduce you, seeing as Tyler has forgotten his manners. Kristal Miller, meet Annie Harbor. Annie, this is Kristal," he said, "She and Tyler used to have a thing between them before," he added unnecessarily.

Tyler mentally cursed his best friend's tactlessness.

"Oh, is that so?" Annie asked, growing more timid. She shot a glance at Tyler, who was clenching his jaw and looking very uncomfortable.

"Yeah. Quite serious actually," Reid said. Now all three, except him, were uncomfortable. "Well, I guess we'll let you two run off."

"I think that's best. See you later, man. Kristal," Tyler said with a nod of his head.

"Good night, Annie," Reid said charmingly, taking Annie's slender hand in his own and dropping a deliberately slow kiss on her fingers. Tyler watched as Annie blushed and pulled her hand away.

"Enjoy your evening, Reid. And it was nice to meet you, Kristal," she said. She and Tyler exited the restaurant in hurry and quickly boarded the Hummer. Once inside, a silence fell over them, but it was not the usually comfortable silences that they shared. This time, it was charged with tension of the bad kind, and filled with unasked questions.

When they reached her apartment, Tyler sighed and turned to face Annie.

"Annie, I'm –" Tyler began, but Annie cut him off.

"I had a wonderful time tonight Tyler. Thank you for dinner. But it's getting late, and I need to wake up early for my morning job," she said hastily.

Not knowing what else to do, Tyler nodded his head. "Okay, I'll walk you to your door," he offered.

"No, it's okay. I can take it from here. Thanks again," she said. And without another word, she opened the door and hopped out.

Tyler sat stiffly in his seat, knowing that their first date had just turned bad.

_Damn it. _


	10. Square One

Chapter 10- Square One

"_Hello?"_

"Hey, Mike? It's Tyler."

"_Oh hey Tyler, what's up?"_

"Nothing much, just sitting around. You guys okay?"

"_Yeah, we're good. Sammy and I went back to school today."_

"That's good to hear," Tyler said, nervously running a hand through his hair, "Hey listen, is your sister there?"

"_Annie? Umm … lemme check."_

Tyler heard a little shuffling on the other end, some mumbling and murmuring. He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans and waited.

"_Hello?"_

For a second Tyler couldn't answer. He hadn't heard from her since that disaster of a date and he just got dazed for a while. "Hey Annie, it's Tyler."

A slight pause. _"Oh hi Tyler."_

Awkward, Tyler thought. "Hi. Um, I just wanted to hear how you were. We, uh, didn't get much time to talk after… well, you know."

"_Right. Um, I was, um, getting pretty tired, you know? It was a long day and I had to, uh, check in on Sammy, so…"_

"Hey, don't apologize. I shouldn't have kept you out so late." Tyler couldn't help but feel a bit sad that they were back to this kind of conversation. Awkward and unsure.

"_Oh no, it was okay. I guess I underestimated how tired I was. But I really enjoyed it, though. Thank you."_

A smile appeared on Tyler's lips as he sighed in relief. At least she didn't hate him yet.

"I enjoyed it, too. Um, listen, do you think we can do it again? I know the night ended in a weird note, and I want to make up for it." He mentally crossed his fingers.

A heartbeat passed before Annie answered. _"Um, I don't know, Tyler. I, uh, got a full load of shifts at the café, and the restaurant wants me to do some extra shifts for them since I missed a couple this past week I'm not really sure when I can get free."_

"Oh," he said dejectedly, "How about I'll see you at the café and we'll hang out afterwards, get something to eat?"

"_I don't know Tyler. The manager might get mad at me, you know, spending time off my feet while I'm working."_

Tyler frowned. Why did he get the feeling that she was trying her best not to see him?

"Yeah, he might get mad," he conceded, "But hey, if you get some free time, give me a call okay?"

There was a slight pause at the end of the line again.

"_Okay, I'll do that."_ It sounded reluctant to Tyler's ears.

"Um, okay. So, what are you-"

"_Um, I have to go now Tyler, I have a shift at Blue's and I can't be late," _she cut in.

"Oh. Well, we don't want that. I'll talk to you later then?"

"_Yeah, later. Bye."_

And that was it. Tyler looked at the phone in his hand for a second before tossing it down on his bed.

Okay, so first Annie can't set up a date with him. Second, she won't let him hang out with her at the café. Third, she doesn't have the time to talk to him anymore. And fourth, it seemed like she was really avoiding him.

He sat down, confused and a little frustrated. Things were turning out so great for them, until Reid … no, he didn't do it on purpose. He said he would never do it again. He promised.

_But promises are meant to be broken, especially when Reid is involved, right?_ said a voice in Tyler's head that sounded awfully like his own.

No. He trusted Reid. Reid was his best friend. He wouldn't do that to him again. He only went that far with Kristal.

Kristal … Tyler could still remember how it was with them. Before Reid had to get in the picture …

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N: Late and short post, forgive me. Just got settled in. Others will follow soon. **


End file.
